I’m having major problems! And I mean MAJOR, as in my English major. For a while now, I’ve been contemplating on whether I want to keep pursing English or not. Its a really tough decision for me because the biggest thing that attracted me to Iowa was its AMAZING Writer’s Workshop. I came to Iowa wanting to write and wanting to pursue this great passion of mine, which is why I majored in English. I also majored in Cinema because I was aiming for screenwriting more than any other type of writing. So I thought English and Cinema would make a pretty great combo for double majoring.

But I did not expect to like Cinema so much! In fact, I couldn’t believe how much I liked Cinema more than English! I was hooked after my very first film class! So much that now I don’t want to just do screenwriting…I want to do the WHOLE DARN THING! The producing, the directing, the editing, EVERYTHING!! I am so determined to learn everything about this industry and pursue a career in it! And I know that making it to Hollywood seems like a pretty impossible dream…and many people wouldn’t have much faith in me…but I can’t let that stop me from trying! So I’m going to give it my all and hopefully it’ll pay off in the end.

I was also looking into Communication Studies because I think it would go along great with my Cinema major. I feel like it would help lead me to the places I want to go! I just don’t feel the same way with English. 🙁 I talked to my TRIO coordinator about all this today and she really helped me out and referred me to the Career Center (Thanks, Brooke)! So I hope to find all my answers soon!

Oh, and I also hope that the English department doesn’t end up hating me! 😮

Look at all the goods I got from the Study Abroad Fair! I’m really happy I went! I learned a lot and I have decided that I will DEFINITELY study abroad some time next year! Most likely in the summer! And I have my eye on Costa Rica! You know why? Two words! SEA TURTLES! <3

Okay, I know many may not care, but I just got done with my second lab for Principles of Computing and I feel awesome! Even though it still took me a long time to finish, I think I’m getting the hang of it! This week we had to make a web page about our pets. I don’t have a pet, so I decided to be a little creative.

Why don’t you take a look! 🙂
http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~ralvarado/homepage.html

It’s nothing fancy, but I’m pretty darn proud of myself!

🙂

Another week down, two more to go! It’s going to get hectic around here with everyone being in STUDY MODE, and it’s not going to be pretty. There’s going to be lots of books and lots and lots of CAFFEINE! But you know what? We got this! Just two more weeks of hard work and then we get to enjoy three months of summer! We can do it!

I’m ready! Two weeks. Two finals. Bring it on. >: )

You want to know what’s just as stressful as studying for classes?
Registering for them!

I mean, there are just sooooo many you can choose from! It’s crazy! I’m one of the few lucky people that get to register on the first day, which is tomorrow. The good thing about that is that I basically get to choose any class I want and not worry about classes being full. But the downside is I don’t know what classes to take! I want to take sooo many of them, but I don’t want to overwhelm myself. And to add to my frustration, I’m having doubts on whether I want to change majors or not. 🙁

Right now I’m double majoring in English and Cinema, but it feels like I’m leaning towards Cinema more and English just doesn’t seem to grab my attention like it used to. I feel crappy because I came to Iowa wanting to write…but now as I’m approaching the end of my first year of college, I don’t know if that’s what I want anymore. I’m sure many will tell me that I still have a lot of time to decide on what area I want to focus on, but I can’t help but feel like time is actually slipping away and soon it’ll be too late. 🙁

I guess I just need to talk to my advisor and explore my options. :/

-Prepare for and write two in-class essays
-Study for Quest for Human Destiny midterm
-Study HARDCORE for Modes for Film/Video Production midterm
-Study for Human Origins quiz
-Organize Spanish portfolio
-Record/Edit soundscape project for Modes
-Write a 10-15 pg script for Playwriting
-Write a 3 pg script to workshop for Playwriting
-Write screenplay for Modes
-Read a novel for Quest

…It’s going to be a bumpy ride. 🙁

Well, Winter Break is over now. Is it me or did it go by faster than I thought it would? Hmm… I don’t know but I’m looking forward to this new semester. The first week went by pretty well… so far I like all my classes, but I am beyond intimidated. I can already tell that this semester is going to require a lot more work. It’s starting to feel like I had it easier last semester… and if I had a hard time last semester then that will not compare to what is ahead this semester. So I am definitely nervous. :/ But I feel like I am better prepared now and I’ll be able to get through it. Sure, it’s going to take a lot more effort…but I got this! 🙂

This semester I am taking Human Origins (which I’ve heard is either really easy or really hard), Play writing (which is my looooongest class this semester), Spanish (which is not as easy as I thought it would be), Modes of Film and Video Production (which is my favorite right now), oh, and Quest for Human Destiny with the famous Professor Holstein (which is going awesome so far, he is the best). I feel like its going to be a looooong semester…but a good one at that. So let’s do this! 🙂